


hoping to find (what i can't figure out yet)

by sinandmisery



Category: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn-ish, but these two nerds will work it out, there will be angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:54:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23364286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinandmisery/pseuds/sinandmisery
Summary: "I realized after I got to my class, I never got your name.""Oh, um- Helena." She stands, hand outstretched awkwardly for a handshake. "Helena Rosa.""Dinah Lance," she says, laughing as she shakes Helena's hand. Her hands are cold from the bottles of beer, but Helena's hands are warm - so warm - and Dinah doesn't want to let go.OR;The college AU where they become friends and fall a little bit (a lot) in love.
Relationships: Helena Bertinelli/Dinah Lance
Comments: 168
Kudos: 298





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to konako and the anon who put this in my head and now it's become a monster that won't leave me alone. Also thanks to stoveek for making sure I understand the English language and how to use punctuation.

Dinah has almost finished her assignment when she sees the name pop up on her phone screen.

_INCOMING CALL_   
_Montoya_

There's precisely one reason Renee would be calling her at almost noon on a Tuesday, and Dinah sighs as she swipes to answer the call.

"Give me five minutes to finish this paper, and I'll be there," Dinah says in lieu of a proper greeting.

"We're at Marla's, over on 3rd," Renee replies. "Take your time."

Dinah wraps up her paper and, after a quick spell check, uploads it to her student portal before rushing out the door. Ten minutes later, she pulls up to the coffee shop where Renee is sitting with Cass at one of the small tables outside with a coffee in front of her, and the remnants of an oversized muffin with Cass.

 _God damn kid,_ she thinks as she climbs from the car.

"Thanks, Montoya," Dinah says as she approaches.

"No problem." Renee stands from the table and drops her aviator sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to look at Cass, who is still sitting down. "No more free passes, kid."

It's a lie - the same one Montoya uses every time she's the one who catches Cass skipping class or pickpocketing some unsuspecting bypasser on the corner - and Cass knows it, so she just rolls her eyes.

"Go get in the car, Cass," Dinah says, exasperated but not angry. "And tell Montoya thank you for saving your ass. _Again_."

"Thanks, I guess." Cass shrugs, not even looking at Renee when she does, before skipping off to the car.

"Thank you so much for calling me, Renee. Seriously."

"She's lucky I caught her and not one of the dumbasses on this beat. You know she's like half a strike away from them sending her to juvie. Truancy and petty theft would have practically sealed it."

"I know. God, I _know_. I love that kid, but I swear..."

She mimics strangling her, and Renee laughs.

"She's a good kid," Renee admits. "She just needs some structure."

"I'm trying." Dinah sighs. "Her foster parents are pieces of shit. Only got her for the check that comes with her, and they spend it all on booze and pills the second it comes in. Half the shit she steals is just so she can eat."

"Fuckin' dirtbags," Renee mutters.

"Tell me about it. Look, I've got a 1:15 class I can't miss, but seriously, I can't thank you enough for calling me instead of dragging her in again. I promise you I'm trying."

"I know you are, kid," Renee says, putting a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezing. "Your mom would be proud."

* * *

Cass is quiet for the ride home, pressed up against the door of the car with her backpack on her lap, like she's ready to cut and run at any stop. She doesn't, and when they pull up at the building, she's slow to get out, trailing behind Dinah up the stairs. Dinah unlocks her apartment and holds the door open for Cass to follow her in, and she can see the tension drain out of her.

It ignites a simmering rage inside of her, for Cass to ever feel that kind of anxiety about returning to a place that is supposed to be called _home_.

"You give Montoya everything?" Dinah asks, and Cass nods. "Look, I know things are shitty, but you can't keep skipping school and stealing shit. Montoya's piece of shit coworkers aren't gonna call me when they're the ones who bust you. They're just gonna haul your ass to the station. You're like _thisclose_ to going to juvie, and I promise, you're not gonna like that any better. What'd I tell you last time?"

"One day, you're gonna pick the wrong pocket," Cass drones, tossing her backpack on the couch and flopping down next to it. She kicks her feet up on the coffee table, and Dinah immediately knocks them down.

"Keep your shoes off my table."

"Yeah yeah," Cass says, leaning down to pull her shoes off.

"I gotta go to class, but I'll be back in like two hours. You can stay here, order some pizza," Dinah tells her, tossing some cash on the table. "Do your homework and don't open the door for anyone other than the delivery driver."

She grabs her laptop and shoves it into her bag before she heads out the door. Just before she closes it behind her, she sticks her head back in. "And don't go through my shit!"

Cass flips her a half-hearted middle finger, and Dinah just laughs and shakes her head, locking up behind herself.

* * *

Dinah checks out three different lots before she finds an open spot in the South Lot, cursing at the fact that she still has to make it all the way to the other side of North Quad for her class. After her first year of dorm living, she had worked her ass off over the summer to be able to afford her own apartment. Sure, it was just a small studio, and in a relatively run-down building a mile and a half away from campus, but it was hers and hers alone. She had her own shower, her own kitchen, and never had to worry about walking in on a half-naked roommate with a guy in her bed. Now on her second year of her lease, she's still grateful for all the benefits of living alone, but days like today definitely make her miss living on campus.

As she makes her way across the quad, she tosses her keys in her bag and rifles through the folders shoved in there to pull out the one for her upcoming class. In her distraction, she runs full force into a brick wall - or what feels like it anyway. She's knocked on her ass, papers from her folder flying, and some of the contents of her bag spilling out as well. She sits up, rotating the tender wrist she'd landed on, wincing slightly as it pops.

"Oh, god. I'm so sorry," the other person says, bending down to help gather her items. "I wasn't- I didn't mean-"

Despite the situation, and the fact that she's now _definitely_ late for class, Dinah laughs. "Stop apologizing," she tells her, stuffing things back in her bag.

"I just- I- I'm sorry," the other woman apologizes again, offering a stack of papers to Dinah.

"I'm the one that ran into you," Dinah says, still chuckling. "Though, to be fair, you are kind of built like a brick wall."

Dinah looks up then, into dark brown eyes and a nervous, blushing face, and _oh fuck, she's **hot**_. Dinah clears her throat and stands up, dusting off her knees, and the other woman does the same, standing a good couple of inches taller than Dinah, and not just because of the worn-in Doc Martens she's wearing. She bites her lip and tightens her grip on the shoulder strap of her bag.

"Thank you."

The other woman looks confused, head tilted slightly with an adorable crinkle between her eyebrows. "For what?"

"Helping me pick up my stuff." Dinah shrugs, smiling at the other woman. She hears the bells from Gotham City Cathedral ring out 1 o'clock, and she knows she needs to go, but she still can't bring herself to leave. "Let me buy you a drink to apologize? I work at The-"

"Watchtower," the other woman interjects.

"You stalkin' me?" Dinah asks, eyebrow arched.

"No!" she shouts, and then blushes harder, fumbling with her words until she manages, "No. I- I live across the street, so I'm in there a lot. I've just seen you around."

"Why don't I ever see you then?" Dinah asks, curious. "I thought I knew all our regulars."

The other woman shrugs. "I kinda stick to myself? I'm not usually at the bar."

"Well then, if you're already there all the time, come by tonight after 8? I'll be working. Drink on me?"

"S- Sure..." the other woman says, but she drags it out like she's not really sure if she means it.

Dinah smiles brightly anyway, dimples on full display. "Alright, I'm going to be super late for class, but I'll see you tonight," she calls, darting off toward the building she had initially been headed for.

She rushes into her class, red-cheeked and out of breath with barely a minute to spare, somehow managing to make it before her professor, but as she scans the room, she finds exactly one seat available - right next to Harley Quinn.

Rumours were floating around campus since Spring semester the prior year that Harley had been kicked out after a fiasco with the Dean that had also ended in him getting fired. Those rumours also had wildly different accounts of what exactly had gone down, so she wasn't too surprised to see Harley back, but Harley was _definitely_ not in this class before. With a groan, she drags herself up to the empty seat and slides in.

"Dinah!" Harley cries with a wide grin.

"Hi, Harley," Dinah grumbles unenthusiastically. "The hell are you doing in this class?"

"It's the first day! Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Harley, classes started three weeks ago."

"They did?"

Before Dinah can respond, the professor walks in, apologizing for his tardiness, and immediately launches into his lecture.

It's only when Dinah reaches into her bag and pulls out a stack of disorganized notes that she realizes she never got the other woman's name.

* * *

By the time Dinah's shift at The Watchtower starts, the bar is well on its way to being packed, especially for a Tuesday. As she makes her way to the back office to clock in, she looks across the room for any sign of the other woman and tries not to be too disappointed when a casual scan shows no sign of her. Instead of dwelling on it, she busies herself with work, helping manage the flow of customers, much to the relief of her two co-workers.

When 9 o'clock rolls around, the crowd has thinned out a bit, and Dinah takes the opportunity to restock the bar from the earlier run. As she pushes through the swinging door from the storeroom, two cases of beer stacked in her arms, Dinah sees the other woman sitting at the end of the bar. Her fingers drum against the shiny bar top as she looks around the room, and Dinah grins.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

The other woman jumps and swivels on the barstool towards the sound of the voice. "Well, uh, here I am," she says.

"I'm glad," Dinah sets down the cases and slides open the beer cooler. "You know," she continues, pulling the beers from the cases to restock the fridge, "I realized after I got to my class, I never got your name."

"Oh, um- Helena." She stands, hand outstretched awkwardly for a handshake. "Helena Rosa."

"Dinah Lance," she says, laughing as she shakes Helena's hand. Her hands are cold from the bottles of beer, but Helena's hands are warm - _so warm_ \- and Dinah doesn't want to let go.

"Dinah," Helena repeats, still holding her hand. "Nice to actually meet you."

"You too." Dinah smiles and squeezes her hand gently before turning back to her work. She catches Helena out of the corner of her eye, cheeks flushed, and in a daze.

"So how about that drink I owe you?" Dinah asks as she breaks down the now empty cases, attempting to drag Helena out of her own head.

"Yeah. That- sure." Helena says, jerking her attention back to Dinah and shoving her hand in her jacket pocket as she fumbles to sit down on the barstool.

"Let me guess." Dinah eyes Helena, taking in her outfit - all black, from her well-worn boots and faded jeans with a rip across one of the knees to the plain t-shirt and soft leather jacket - and smiles. "The outfit makes me want to say whiskey, but I'm guessing you're more of a vodka tonic girl?"

"How'd you know?"

Dinah shrugs and reaches for the Grey Goose. "Good guess."

When she sets the drink in front of her, Helena pulls out her card, but Dinah waves her away.

"I told you, it's on me."

"So open a tab," Helena replies, unrelenting. Dinah takes the card, but not without a playful glare, and opens a tab at the register, serving a few other customers while she's there.

"Tell me something about yourself," Dinah says when she returns, wiping down the bar next to Helena with a rag.

Helena freezes for a moment, opening and closing her mouth. When nothing comes out, Dinah smiles at her, leans on her side of the bar, and says, "Alright, I'll make it easy. We met on campus, so I'm going to assume you're a student. What's your major?"

"Engineering. Uh, Mechanical Engineering," Helena replies, taking the last swallow of her drink.

"Oh, so you're smart, too," Dinah teases. "Anything else?"

"What?"

"Nevermind," Dinah says, shaking her head. She gestures toward Helena's mostly empty drink and asks, "Another?"

Helena nods. "So, um, what about you?" she asks, picking at her napkin. "What's your major?"

"Social Services," Dinah says, plucking a lime from the garnish caddy on the bar before handing her a new drink.

"So like, foster kids and stuff?"

Dinah nods. "Not always, but yeah, that's some of it. My mom died when I was young, and once I got over feeling nothing but the anger, I just wanted to help people like she did, you know? People - kids - in my situation."

Helena nods and starts to speak, but Dinah laughs and says, "Wow - I'm sorry, that was way too heavy for a _get to know you_ conversation."

"No!" Helena shouts. "It's- I'm sorry."

"Nothing you could've done," Dinah shrugs. "My mom was a good woman who tried to do the right thing, and some shitty people decided they didn't like that."

"I know. I mean- I lost my family too. When I was nine. All of them. I mean, it was a car accident, but-" Dinah's eyes go wide, and Helena trails off, looking at Dinah curiously. "Um- did I say something wrong?"

"No, no," Dinah says, schooling her expression back to neutral. "I mean- it just looks like we both won the childhood trauma lottery."

"I don't think I'd call it a win," Helena deadpans.

"Fair enough," Dinah laughs, and then glances to her right. "Be right back."

Dinah makes her way down the bar, smiling as she refills a few beers and double-checks on everyone sitting at the other side of the bar. As she fills the pint glasses, she looks over at Helena, watches as she fidgets with the straw in her drink, and winks when she looks her way.

She pours herself a water and drops a straw in, then makes her way back to Helena's spot. "So why Mechanical Engineering?" Dinah asks, smiling at her around the straw in her drink.

"I like the precision," Helena says with a shrug. "And I'm good with my hands."

Dinah inhales her water at that, desperately trying not to laugh when she sees the crinkle between Helena's eyebrows and realizes she's not just flirting with Dinah. "Really?"

"What?" Helena asks, genuinely confused.

"Nothing," Dinah replies, shaking her head. "Nothing at all."

The rest of the evening goes much the same way - Dinah plies her with alcohol and food, and they trade questions back and forth as Dinah works. She remains attentive to the other patrons, one eye always on the rest of the bar, but she always comes back to Helena.

Helena is awkward and unsure of herself. Her thoughts come out in a stutter-stop pattern that reminds Dinah of someone trying to remember a script they thought they had memorized, and the alcohol barely eases the tension Dinah can see strung through every muscle of her body. She's funny, though, and _so_ incredibly kind. As they work their way through small talk that wavers between generic and deeply personal - a process Dinah usually finds exhausting, despite her current choice of profession - Dinah can't help but let herself be completely and utterly charmed.

By the time the lights come on for last call, the night having blown by with Helena's company, Dinah's cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"I guess that's my cue," Helena says, downing the last of her drink and straightening up.

"I guess so." Dinah frowns, not ready for the night to end.

"Thanks. Uh, for the drink."

"Thank _you_ for keeping me company tonight," Dinah smiles, soft and sweet. "I'm glad I ran into you."

"Yeah. Me too."

Dinah steps away to start closing out the tabs in the system, and when she returns to Helena, she puts the tab on the bar and holds out her hand. "Gimme your phone."

"Okay..." Helena says, tilting her head curiously, but she slips the phone from her jacket pocket and hands it over before turning her attention to the bill. After a few seconds of review, she looks up and says, "You undercharged me."

"Did I?" Dinah asks, not looking up from Helena's phone. "Oops."

It will come out of her tips for the evening, sure, but it's worth it, Dinah thinks, for the potential new friendship.

Helena just shakes her head and tallies up the tip.

"There," Dinah says, sliding the phone back across the bartop, her contact programmed in Helena's phone and a text conversation open that just says _it's me_. "Now you have my number and don't have to resort to knocking me over on the quad just to say hi."

"I did-" Helena starts to protest, but then she sees the smirk Dinah's trying and failing to hide. "You’re joking."

"You're learning," Dinah says proudly, smirk transforming into a full grin as her fingertips brush against Helena’s wrist. "Get home safe, H."

"It's across the street."

"Your point?" Dinah asks, arching her eyebrow at Helena.

"Okay, okay. I'll get home safe." Helena stands, and for a second it looks like she might say something else, but then she just smiles and nods at her.

"Night, H."

"Night, Dinah."

* * *

Despite the fact that her fingers itch to message Helena, Dinah _swears_ to herself that she is going to wait for Helena to text her first. She picks up her phone several times and checks the conversation just in case, but the only thing there is the singular message she'd sent to herself.

By Thursday, she starts to wonder if she overestimated things; if Helena had simply been humouring her the other evening and wasn't particularly keen on actually pursuing a friendship.

By Friday, she caves. She's several hours into a day-long study session at the library when she takes a break to stretch and raid the vending machine tucked in the corner. As she waits for the student in front of her to make a selection, she switches over to her messaging app from scrolling Instagram and brings up her conversation with Helena.

_you know, i gave you my phone number so you could use it_

The response isn't immediate, but it does eventually arrive, and Dinah feels a tension loosen in her shoulders she wasn't aware she was holding.

_I didn't want to bother you._

_you're not bothering me_

_what are you doing right now?_

_Just finished classes. Walking back to my bike._

_meet me on south quad?_

_That's where I am. Where do you want to meet?_

_wayne library. just finishing up_

_meet you outside_

_Okay._

Dinah packs up her laptop and her scattered notebooks with a smile on her face, ready for the weekend to finally start. With The Watchtower closed for a private alumni event, she has a practically unheard of two days off in a row, and she can't wait to take advantage.

She pushes her way out of the library doors and spots Helena approaching in full motorcycle gear. The padding in her black and purple jacket broadens her shoulders, the mid-calf leather boots add a few inches to her already tall frame, and Dinah feels a tug of attraction at the sight. She pauses at the top of the stairs, teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she stares for a moment before she rushes down, greeting Helena with a one-armed hug. Helena makes no attempt to move, just stands stock-still as Dinah squeezes, and when she pulls back, Helena's blushing.

"Okay, for the record, when you said 'bike,' this was _not_ what I was picturing," Dinah says, giving Helena a once over. She hooks her pinky finger around the snap at the cuff of the jacket and tugs lightly, smiling at her. "But I like it."

"Um. Thanks?" Helena replies, tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand, still blushing wildly.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" Dinah asks, swinging their not-quite-connected hands slightly.

"I don't know." Helena shrugs. "I don't really... go out much."

"Except for The Watchtower, apparently," Dinah teases, nudging her elbow against Helena's.

"That's- I like to study there."

"You know, most people like to go someplace quiet when they're working," Dinah says, gesturing to the library behind her.

"I know. But, um, the quiet... distracts me, I think," Helena says softly, like she's revealing a secret. (Given the minimal information Dinah has to go off of, maybe she is.) Dinah remembers those days; remembers how it was after her mom's death, when a too-quiet room could drive her mad, with anger and sadness seeping in for no apparent reason.

"What about hanging out with me?" Dinah asks with a smile before the somber moment can settle into the conversation. "I'm off work this weekend and could use the company."

"Okay," Helena nods in agreement, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, that's - I'd like that."

"Good. Come over around 7? I need to shower the library off of me first."

A blush creeps up Helena's neck and to her cheeks as she stammers out an agreement, and Dinah bites her lip to stop herself from commenting on how adorable she is.

"See you soon," she says, tugging at Helena's jacket sleeve once more before letting go.

"Yeah."

Helena gives an awkward wave-slash-almost salute as she turns to leave, and as Dinah watches her, a smile on her face long after Helena's out of sight, she knows she is well and truly screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one's a little short because it got a little out of control so I had to split it, but hopefully that means the next chapter should be up in a day or two.
> 
> \---
> 
> Also, in case you missed it, the amazing konako [made some lovely fan art](https://konako.tumblr.com/post/613929637737906176) for this, which is a little teaser of an upcoming scene.

When Dinah steps out of the shower, there's a text waiting for her on her phone. She laughs when she sees the preview on her screen and tucks her towel around her body so she can swipe the screen and reply.

_So I don't actually know where you live._

_you're a terrible stalker._

_I WASN'T STALKING YOU!_

😉

_1312 ingraham st  
i'm in 305_

_Should I bring anything?_

_just yourself._

_Okay._

* * *

There's a knock at the door at precisely 7 o'clock, and Dinah hits pause on her episode of _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ as she stands to answer it.

"So how long have you been standing out there waiting to knock?" Dinah asks as she opens the door. She crosses her arms and stares in mock judgement, but she can't help the smile on her face when Helena tries to stutter out a response.

"I didn't want to be too early," Helena finally manages, her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink that makes Dinah want to reach out and _touch_.

"I'm just messin' with you. C'mon," Dinah tells her instead, stepping aside so she can enter the apartment. She watches as Helena crouches to put her helmet under the table next to the door and then unlaces her boots and slips them off, tucking them neatly next to Dinah's, and she feels that flutter of _something_ burning in her gut.

"I'd give you a tour," Dinah says, interrupting her own thoughts before they can spiral. "But, this is basically it."

She gestures around the single main room that houses a small couch, a chair, a coffee table, and a TV mounted on the wall, with her bed and a dresser hidden behind a set of shelves and a folding screen for a mild illusion of privacy. The bathroom and kitchen are tucked away down a short hallway to their right, and Dinah leans against its entryway as Helena looks around.

"I like it," Helena says, turning to Dinah with a small smile playing at her lips.

Dinah laughs. "It's kind of a dump, but it's not a dorm."

"No," Helena insists, shaking her head. "It feels like- like someone _lives_ here. My place still looks like an interior design catalogue."

"You'll have to show me sometime, let me be the judge," Dinah says, smiling as she nudges her with her elbow.

"Um, yeah, I could- do that." Helena shrugs off her motorcycle jacket to reveal a grey sleeveless t-shirt that leaves Dinah internally debating whether she wants to wrap her hands around Helena’s biceps or tangle them in the soft fabric of her shirt.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Dinah asks as Helena hangs her jacket on a hook on the back of the door. "I've got... well, I think I've got a couple of beers, water, might have a soda or two."

"Um, water is fine."

Dinah heads toward the kitchen, but Helena hovers awkwardly by the door, so she turns and brushes her elbow. "Sit," Dinah says, gesturing toward the couch. "Make yourself comfortable; I'll be right back."

When she returns with two glasses of water and a stack of take out menus she keeps stashed in one of the kitchen drawers, Helena is sitting on the edge of the couch, back ramrod straight. Dinah slides a set of coasters along the table and places their drinks on them before dropping onto the couch next to Helena, menus in her lap. 

"I said _comfortable_ ," Dinah teases. "You look like you're waiting to get yelled at by the principal." She tugs at Helena's elbow until she's also sinking against the back of the couch, and tries not to think about how warm Helena's skin feels against her own when their shoulders press together. She holds up the stack of menus to Helena and smiles. "Hungry?"

"Sure," Helena says, flipping through the menus. "Ooh, I love tacos."

Dinah bites her lip to keep from laughing out loud, but she can't help the way her shoulders shake, and Helena turns to look at her, confused.

"What?"

"Nothing. Tacos are good. We can do that," Dinah says, plucking the menu out of the stack and opening it across both of their laps. 

"We should get nachos, too," Helena says as she browses the menu, pointing at the picture of the oversized plate of nachos near the list of appetizers.

"Whatever you want."

* * *

Before they call in the order, there's a brief argument on who is going to pay for dinner (Helena insists it should be her, since Dinah refused to let her pay for drinks the other night, but Dinah insists that Helena overtipped so much that even if she's the one that pays, it's still like Helena's paying for it), which they decide to settle like adults: with a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"Best two out of three?" Helena asks as they shift on the couch to face each other.

"Yeah." Dinah nods, tucking one leg underneath herself, the other knee bumping against Helena's. They both hold out their palms, ready to play, and Dinah counts them in. "Okay. One... two... three... Shoot."

They both throw scissors the first round, and Dinah nearly falls off the couch laughing. She steadies herself with a hand against Helena's knee and reaches for her water, taking a sip of it and two deep breaths to collect herself. 

Helena takes the next two rounds - rock over scissors, and paper over rock - and Dinah frowns.

"Three of five?"

-

"Five of seven?"

-

"Seven of nine?"

-

"I can't believe I lost to you 29 times in a row at a fuckin' _child's_ game," Dinah grumps, handing over the menu to Helena. "How is that even possible?"

"Could've saved yourself the embarrassment if you agreed to let me pay to begin with," Helena says as she pulls out her phone.

Dinah's jaw drops. "Did you just make a joke?"

"I'm just being honest."

"Of course you are," Dinah mutters, rolling her eyes. She grabs the remote and hits play on the next episode while Helena places their order. 

"Um - hold on a second," Helena says, pulling the phone away from her ear. "Do you want anything to drink?"

Dinah's eyes light up. "What aguas frescas do they have?"

Helena relays the question and then, "Uh, tamarindo, guayaba, jamaica, melón, or horchata?"

"Guayaba," Dinah decides. "Oh, and make sure you get extra salsa, please."

* * *

"You know you can just ask for no peppers, right?" Dinah asks when she notices Helena picking them out of her food and placing them on the side of the takeout container, just like she had at the bar the other night.

"It's just easier," Helena says. "Then I don't have to bother anyone else."

Dinah shakes her head fondly, smiling at Helena. "You're too cute," she says, and then sneaks her hand between Helena's arms to swipe one of the discarded peppers. She pops it in her mouth, grinning at Helena before turning back to the tv.

* * *

They're several episodes into the show when Helena reveals she's never seen - or even heard of - _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ before that evening.

"Wait- _WHAT_?" Dinah asks, pressing pause so the next episode doesn't autoplay. 

"I don't watch a lot of TV," Helena says with a shrug. "I've been back in Gotham for three years, and I can probably count the number of times I've even turned on my TV in that time on one hand." 

"I thought you were from here." Dinah twists so she's facing Helena instead of the television. "Where were you before?"

"After, um- everything with my family- the only person I had left was my uncle, who lived in Sicily. It was either there or becoming a ward of the state, so I lived with him for 9 years in this small village in the mountains. We'd go into the city when Palermo was playing on the weekends, but that was really it.”

"That’s crazy," Dinah remarks.

"It’s not that crazy," Helena insists, voice edging on defensive. "I was in boarding school before that, so tv just wasn't a huge thing for me."

"No! No, I didn't mean- I don't mean about the whole television thing. I mean, all of it. You lived in _Sicily_. And yet you still chose to come back here," Dinah says, smiling as she shakes her head. "Which, I have to be honest, if I ever got the chance to get out of here..."

"I had to come back," Helena explains. "Um, when I turned 18, there were some things I had to deal with. I wasn't planning to stay, but once I got here- I won’t say I fell in love with the city, but it just felt right being back."

"I still would have picked Sicily."

"Have you ever been?" Helena asks.

Dinah laughs, loud and boisterous, and Helena looks at her, a crinkle between her eyebrows. "Sorry, I just- I've barely been out of the state, let alone the country."

"It's beautiful," Helena says. "I think you'd love it."

"I'm sure I would. Though I doubt being a social worker is going to allow for that kind of extravagant travel."

"You never know."

"What, are you gonna take me sometime?" Dinah asks, teasing.

"If you wanted," Helena says with a shrug.

Dinah starts to respond but is interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"Be right back," Dinah says, squeezing Helena's knee as she stands to go check the door. She peers through the peephole, and sighs, seeing Cass standing outside. 

As soon as Dinah opens the door, she can hear the telltale sounds of screaming drifting down the stairs, and she frowns, shaking her head at the idiots upstairs. "C'mon, kid," she says, opening the door wider for Cass to come in. She points at the table by the door and says, "Pockets."

"I ain't got nothin'."

Dinah arches an eyebrow at her - she always has _something_ she's pulled a five-finger discount on - and Cass rolls her eyes.

"Just some chips and a candy bar," Cass mutters, pulling them out of her pocket and putting them on the table. "I was hungry, okay?"

"There's some leftovers in the fridge. Go heat them up," Dinah says, and then slips a ten-dollar bill under the bag of chips while Cass kicks her shoes off. "And go back and pay for these tomorrow."

"Okay," Cass says, turning for the kitchen but suddenly stopping. "Who's that?"

"That's Helena," Dinah says. "Helena, this is Cass."

Helena waves awkwardly, movements jerky, almost like she isn't sure how to.

"Cool," Cass says, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Sorry about this," Dinah says as she takes her seat back on the couch, her voice low, so Cass doesn't hear her. 

"It's okay. I can... go," Helena says, already standing up. 

"Wait, what? Why?" Dinah shifts, so she's sitting up a little straighter, confused by the sudden turn of events.

"I just thought- you'd want..." she says, fumbling for the words, gesturing at the kitchen, where Cass is heating up their leftovers from dinner.

Dinah reaches out and wraps her fingers delicately around her wrist. "Stay," she says and then looks up at Helena. "Please?"

Helena sits back down on the couch, perched at the edge again, like she's ready to bolt at any moment. "Hey, I'm not trying to force you," Dinah offers, her fingers drifting from Helena's wrist to brush against her knee. "If you actually want to go, I'm not trapping you here. But if you want to stay, stay."

Helena nods, but doesn't make any indication to move either way. "Are you sure- will she be okay with that?"

As if on cue, a large crash and a thump can be faintly heard through the door as it reverberates through the halls.

Dinah gives a halfhearted shrug. "That's the alternative," she says, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the hallway. "She kind of prefers anything else."

"Okay." Helena nods decisively. "If you're sure."

"I am."

* * *

Helena is still more tense than usual when Cass comes back to the living room, her plate piled high with their leftovers, so Dinah tries for a little small talk to reassure her things are fine.

"How was school this week, kid?"

"Dumb," Cass replies, mouth full of food. "I got detention on Thursday."

"What? Why?"

Cass shrugs and doesn't look up from her food as she says, "I tried to start a fight club."

"Cass!" Dinah exclaims at the same time Helena bursts out laughing, and despite how cute she looks, face scrunched up and gleeful, Dinah glares at her.

"Sorry," Helena says, immediately schooling her features. "I'm just gonna..."

Helena stands and grabs their glasses, heading for the kitchen as Dinah turns her glare on Cass.

"What the fuck, Cass? You tried to start a _fight club_?"

"Not like _that_ ," Cass says. "Just... one of the boys was teasing this girl, so me and some of the other girls kneed him in the dick after lunch."

"Okay, noble intentions. But you know you can't get kicked out of school."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're a good kid," Dinah says, ruffling her hair as she passes her on the way to the kitchen. "Just try not to knee anymore boys in the dick, okay?"

"Okay," Cass says with a fake sigh.

Dinah makes her way into the kitchen and leans against the counter next to Helena. "Hey," she says, bumping her foot against Helena's. "Coast is clear."

"I'm sorry for laughing," Helena says, voice low and serious.

"It's fine," Dinah reassures her, reaching behind her to grab the glass of water. "It actually is pretty funny. She kneed a kid in the dick for teasing another girl." 

"At least she had a good reason."

"That's what I said," Dinah agrees, and then holds her hand out to Helena. "Come watch more _B99_ with us?"

"Alright," Helena says, a small smile on her face as she lets Dinah lead her back into the living room.

* * *

When Cass figures out what they're watching, she insists they do a Halloween Heists mini-marathon, but she's passed out in the chair before they even make it halfway through the episodes.

"I should get going," Helena comments when the autoplay finally asks if they're still watching. She yawns and stretches, looking over at Dinah. "It's late."

Dinah - leaned into the arm of the couch, toes wedged under Helena's leg - shifts to grab the remote and exit out of the player. "Should you really be riding if you're that tired?"

"I'm fine," Helena insists through another yawn that she tries to hide.

"You're not. It's almost 1 am, and you can barely keep your eyes open."

"I can take a cab."

"Don't be dumb," Dinah says, squeezing at the inside of Helena's knee and then using her leg for leverage to stand up. "You can stay here."

"Are you- sure?"

"Yeah, come on," Dinah says, holding out her hand, which Helena takes and lets Dinah help her up. "My bed's big enough for two."

"Oh, no. I'm-" Helena says, shaking her head. "I'll be fine on the couch."

Dinah looks from Helena to the small two-seater couch and arches an eyebrow. "You are AT LEAST a foot and a half longer than that couch."

"I can bend," Helena insists. "I'm very flexible."

Dinah grits her teeth and closes her eyes, breathing in through her nose to keep from laughing and waking Cass up. "I'm sure you are," she says, straining to keep her voice even. "But you do that, and you'll be sore for a week. Trust me, I'd know."

* * *

Dinah is already in bed, sitting propped up against the headboard and scrolling through her phone, when Helena comes back from the bathroom. 

"Those are _surprisingly_ not as short on you as I imagined they'd be," Dinah says, leaning up to eye the fit of the flannel pajama pants she'd dug out of one of her drawers.

"They're good. Soft," Helena confirms with a nod, her hands jammed in the pockets of the pants as she hovers at the foot of the bed.

"They are," Dinah says with a smile, reaching over to put her phone on the nightstand. She shifts under the blanket, so she's laying down, head propped up on her elbow, so she's facing Helena. "Come on, don't just stand there."

Helena hovers, uncertain, but then pulls back the comforter and slides into bed, staying pressed against the edge of the mattress and taking up the absolute least amount of space possible. Dinah rolls her eyes and reaches out for her hand, pulling her closer to the center of the bed.

"Thank you for coming over tonight," she says, her toes pressed against Helena's ankles. She feels Helena tense up at first, but after a few seconds of silence, she relaxes and shifts, so she's laying in a position that mirrors Dinah's.

"I like you," Helena says quietly, tucking one arm underneath her pillow. "I mean- I- spending time with you. I like spending time with you."

Dinah is fully aware of the grin on her face, but she can't help herself. She wants to reciprocate - to tell Helena she likes her too - but she also doesn't want to scare her off, so she settles for simply, "I'm glad you didn't leave when Cass showed up."

"I didn't want to intrude," Helena murmurs.

"I asked you to come over, how were you intruding?"

"You know what I mean," Helena says, shifting so her feet are tangled up with Dinah's, and Dinah bites her lip to keep from smiling too wide.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by letting her stay," Dinah says.

"You didn't," Helena assures her. "She seems like a good kid."

"She is," Dinah sighs. "Pain in my ass, but she's had it rough, and it could be worse."

Helena nods in agreement.

"That's her foster family," Dinah explains quietly. "She got placed with them about six months ago, but they're fucking awful. After the first few times I caught her moping on the stairs while they screamed at each other, I brought her over, and we ordered pizzas and watched cartoons. She's just kind of got an open invitation since then."

Helena smiles softly at her. "You're getting some practice for the future."

"Hm?" Dinah questions, feeling her eyes drooping.

"Your degree."

"I guess," Dinah says, smiling softly. "I didn't really think of it like that, she just deserves better."

"She's lucky she has you," Helena mumbles, voice thick with sleep.

Dinah's almost asleep, but she swears she hears Helena quietly add _I am too._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for [aserenitatum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aserenitatum/), who made this absolutely amazing [social media au](https://kate-siegel.tumblr.com/post/615219316782235648/) based on this fic ~~that absolutely didn't make me want to cry~~

Dinah feels herself slowly drawn out of the unconsciousness of sleep by the sunlight flooding her room. Still, she refuses to actually open her eyes, trying to savor the last few moments before truly waking.

"Whatcha thinking about?” she asks, voice scratched with sleep, eyes still closed.

Helena startles, jostling the bed, and Dinah chuckles when she feels her jump.

"What- how?" Helena asks, clearly confused.

"You think too loud," Dinah murmurs softly, cracking one eye open then rolling over so she can face her, a sleepy smile on her face. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Um, yeah," Helena says, nodding slowly. She turns her head slightly to look at Dinah, squinting against the sunlight. "You?"

"Great," she says, stretching her hands above her head, toes peeking out of the covers at the end of the bed. "What time is it? Have you been awake long?"

Helena shrugs. "It's like 8:30. I always wake up early, though. Internal clock thing."

Dinah _hmms,_ and then she remembers- "Hey, is Cass still here?"

"I think so," Helena responds. "I didn't hear her leave after I woke up, and I'm a pretty light sleeper, so I probably would have heard her if she left in the middle of the night."

Dinah shifts to climb out of bed, hissing when her feet touch the cold hardwood, but she doesn't bother looking for her slippers. She peeks her head around the corner of the shelves to see that Cass hasn't left, but had moved from the chair to the couch - sprawled out with one leg thrown over the back and her left arm hanging off the cushions - and smiles to herself.

"It's good you didn't take the couch last night, you'd be sharing with Cass," Dinah tells Helena when she turns back around. She grabs her phone off the nightstand before she slips back into bed with Helena and says, "I'm starving. Do you eat breakfast, or are you one of those weirdos who survive on black coffee until lunchtime?"

Helena laughs at her quietly and says, "No, breakfast is good."

"Good." Dinah shifts close to Helena as she opens up the Postmates app, resting her head against Helena's shoulder, so they're sharing the same pillow. She angles her phone, so they can both see it and asks, "Help me figure out what to order?"

"You eat out a lot," Helena comments as Dinah browses through the restaurants.

"Not as often as I'd like," Dinah mumbles under her breath, unable to resist, as she clicks on one of the restaurants she recognizes from her neighborhood.

"What?" Helena asks, shifting to try and look at Dinah without actually dislodging her.

"Nothing," Dinah replies, shaking her head softly. This woman was absolutely going to be the death of her, and she was going to do it without a clue as to what she was doing. "I like to cook, I just don't have much time for it so... kind of a take out and frozen dinner type girl right now."

"I could make us breakfast?" Helena offers up hesitantly, shifting now, so she's on her side, head propped up on her hand, looking down at Dinah on her pillow.

Dinah grins at her - at the sound of there being an _us -_ and grips her phone a little tighter to keep from reaching up and running her fingers through the messy mane of bedhead framing Helena's face, tugging her down, so their bodies are pressed together and-

"You know," she says, clearing her throat, "as amazing as that sounds, I definitely do not have anything here to make breakfast. I have like, four eggs and the leftover chips and salsa from last night, and that's about it right now."

"That's enough for chilaquiles, but there's also the bodega around the corner," Helena suggests. "I'm sure I can get something there."

"You're my guest, though," Dinah protests weakly. "I'm pretty sure I should be feeding you."

"I'm offering."

Dinah sighs. "I'm not winning this argument, am I?" she asks, arching an eyebrow at Helena.

"Is that a yes?

"Fine," Dinah whines. "I learned my lesson last night."

"Good," Helena says with a smile. "I'll be right back."

Dinah watches her leave and rolls over, burying her smile in the pillow that still smells of Helena's shampoo.

"Oh, um, hey," Helena whispers, and Dinah whips around to face her, startled by her sudden reappearance. She's changed back into her jeans from the night before, but her hair is still a wild - though slightly tamed - mess, and all of Dinah's attempts to school her features into a more neutral expression fly out the window as she smiles at Helena, dimples out in full force.

"What's up?" she asks.

"Is there anything you don't eat?"

"Olives."

Helena makes a face, almost like she's judging her, but doesn't comment and asks, "What about Cass?"

"The kid's like a garbage disposal," Dinah tells her with a laugh. "Probably eat a rock if you let her."

"Why would I let her-" Helena starts to ask, but then she shakes her head and smiles. "Got it."

Dinah grins. "Take my keys so you can lock up when you leave?"

"You got it."

* * *

After a few minutes of absolutely _not_ daydreaming about Helena forgoing breakfast and climbing back in bed with her to waste away the rest of the morning, Dinah drags herself out of bed to clean up while Helena is gone. Midway through the dishes, Cass stumbles into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey, Cass," Dinah says, smiling over her shoulder at the girl.

"Mornin'," Cass mumbles, slumping down on one of the benches at the small built-in table tucked in the corner of the kitchen. "You got any cereal or something?"

"Helena's out getting stuff for breakfast," Dinah replies, turning back to the sink. "She should be back soon."

"'Kay," Cass says, and then after a moment asks, "Are you guys... dating?"

"Definitely not," Dinah tells her, mentally tacking on, _Though not for lack of wanting_. She does find it amusing, though, that Cass has picked that up after only a few hours, but Helena herself still seems completely oblivious.

"You _want_ to, though."

"Come help me dry the dishes and mind your own damn business."

Dinah flings a dish towel across the room at her, laughing when she fails to catch it, and it smacks her in the face instead. Cass rolls her eyes, but grabs the towel and makes her way over to the sink anyway.

"You _totally_ want to," she teases as she takes a clean plate from Dinah.

Dinah laughs and starts to tell her to shut up, but she's interrupted by Helena entering the kitchen, a bag full of groceries in one arm and a tray of drinks in the other.

"Want to what?"

"Uh, want to know if you're a good cook," Dinah covers lamely, cheeks flushing as she glares daggers at Cass, making sure she knows now is definitely the time to keep quiet.

"I'm not too bad, I think," Helena says with a shrug. "I guess you'll find out soon."

"I guess we will.”

"I brought coffee," Helena says as she sets the tray down on the kitchen counter. "I wasn't sure how you took it, so I got sugar and creamer, too. The one with the white lid is earl grey, if you don't do coffee, and the one with the sleeve is a hot chocolate for you, Cass."

"Oh, dope," Cass says, sneaking between them to grab her drink. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Helena says with a small smile and a nod.

Dinah, ready to swoon at the thoughtfulness, picks up the tea for herself, then leans up on her toes to kiss Helena's cheek. "You're a goddess. Thank you.”

"It's just tea," Helena mumbles, ducking her head to hide the blush on her cheeks before turning her focus toward the groceries.

Dinah peeks into the bag as Helena starts unpacking, certain there is way more food in there than she'll need for one meal. "So, what's for breakfast?"

Helena doesn't look up from the food as she places it on the counter, organizing everything neatly in the small space next to the stove. "A frittata."

"What's a frittata?" Cass asks.

"It's like a quiche, but without the crust," Helena offers distractedly.

Knowing this doesn't answer anything for Cass, Dinah laughs and says, "It's kind of like a fancy omelette, kid. You'll like it."

"Cool. Can I help?"

Dinah rolls her eyes at this. Though she'll always help when asked, Cass has never once volunteered to help with any sort of chore, and Dinah finds it endearing that she seems just as charmed by Helena as Dinah herself is.

"Sure. You can help me whisk the eggs," Helena says, smiling at Cass. "Grab a big bowl and a whisk, or just a fork."

"What can I do?" Dinah asks as Cass digs through the cabinets, looking for her supplies.

"Cut these up?" Helena asks, gesturing to the basil and tomatoes. "Oh, and I'll need a skillet for the bacon. Preferably one that can go in the oven?"

Once Helena gets the bacon started, she moves to the table to help Cass, patiently showing her how to crack the eggs without getting the shells in the bowl. Cass panics for a moment when she cracks one of the eggs too hard, and it ends up all over the table, but Helena just tells her it's okay and grabs a paper towel to wipe it up, and they try again, cheering when the next egg gets cracked perfectly.

After they whisk in the milk and her job is finished, Cass escapes with her hot chocolate to go watch cartoons in the living room.

"What?" Helena asks when she catches Dinah staring as she cleans up the rest of the eggshells, scrubbing the table of any remnants of raw egg.

Dinah shakes her head and turns back to the cutting board. "You're just good at that," she says. "It's cute."

"At cleaning?" Helena asks, confused.

"With Cass," Dinah says, as if the simple words could explain how much Helena's patience with the girl actually means. "She likes you. She doesn't usually offer to help."

"When I was her age, my uncle would make me cook with him," Helena says, flipping the bacon. "I hated it at first, but now I'm glad he taught me. I don't get to share it often, but I like to."

"Feel free to cook for me anytime," Dinah says, nudging her with her elbow.

Helena looks over at Dinah, soft smile on her face as she says, "Okay."

* * *

"Whoa, wait. What are you doing?" Dinah asks when she sees Helena grab the sponge from the back of the sink.

"Washing dishes?"

"Oh no. Absolutely not."

"It's fine," Helena says as she puts soap on the sponge and picks up the bowl they used for eggs. "I like to keep them up as I go, so there's not as much to do after we eat."

Dinah huffs and sets her drink down on the counter. "You aren't allowed to cook _and_ clean. Give me the sponge."

"It's fine," Helena insists again. "There aren't that many."

"C'mon," she says, reaching around Helena to grab for the sponge. "If you're that adamant, you can dry."

* * *

"Okay, that looks amazing," Dinah says when Helena pulls the frittata from the oven. "I'm gonna go get Cass."

"Can I eat in the living room?" Cass asks when she reaches the kitchen and sees their plates set on the table.

Helena looks to Dinah, who shakes her head at Cass. "No. Helena actually cooked; we can all eat at the table like civilized humans."

She expects some form of protest from the girl, but instead, Cass just shrugs and slides onto the same bench she sat in earlier, digging into her food immediately.

"This is awesome," Cass says, mouth full. "Way better than anything Dinah usually has for breakfast."

"Shut up," Dinah laughs, kicking at her under the table as she takes her own seat close to the wall and gestures for Helena to take the other side of the small bench, their thighs pressed against each other. "I thought you liked Froot Loops."

"I do, but this is like... _real_ food," Cass retorts, making Helena laugh.

"Whatever," Dinah grumbles, taking a bite of the frittata and immediately moaning.

"You like it?" Helena asks, almost nervous.

Dinah nods, eyes wide. "It's amazing," she says once she's swallowed. "Way better than take out. Or Froot Loops."

"Good," Helena says, smiling softly at Dinah before finally taking a bite. "It's better with pancetta, but they didn't have any at the bodega."

"Oh, so you fancy, huh?" Dinah teases, bumping Helena's shoulder gently and causing her to blush a particularly deep shade of red.

"It's how my uncle always made it," she mumbles, taking another bite.

"Well, I like the way you made it," Dinah reassures her.

* * *

"So, what are you up to for the rest of the day?" Dinah asks once they've cleaned up and are hanging out in the living room again, Cass's cartoons still playing on the television.

"I really have to go into the lab today," Helena says, frowning. "I have a big project due before Fall Recess and haven't even finished my blueprints yet."

Dinah groans, remembering the 15-page research paper she has due for her Cultural Diversity class by then as well. "Ugh, yeah. I really need to work on one of my papers if I'm gonna keep my scholarship. And _this one_ needs to go pay for the food she swiped." Dinah says, playfully smacking at the foot Cass has draped over the arm of the chair.

"Yeah yeah, I'm going," Cass says, shoving her phone in her pocket and stumbling out of the chair. "I'm going to go meet my friends at the park anyway."

"Be good," Dinah tells her. "I better not get a call from Renee or one of her coworkers today."

"I'll be- whoa, do you have a motorcycle?!" Cass asks excitedly when she notices Helena's helmet by the door.

"I do."

"That's so fuckin' cool!"

"Language, Cass," Dinah half-heartedly scolds, and Helena laughs at her.

"Sorry. Can I touch it?" Cass asks, gesturing at the helmet.

"Sure. Wanna go for a ride sometime?" Helena asks, and then looks at Dinah, sheepish. "I mean, if Dinah says it's okay."

"YES!" Cass shouts as she closes the visor on the helmet, eyes wide with excitement, and not even giving Dinah a chance to say no. "Can we go now?!"

"I don't have another helmet with me right now," Helena tells her. "But we'll go soon, okay?"

"Cool! I'll see you guys later," Cass says, putting the helmet down carefully before shoving on her shoes and darting out the door.

Dinah waits until Cass has left and then turns to Helena, an exaggerated pout on her face. "How come you didn't offer to take me on a ride when I said I liked your bike?"

Helena blushes, nearly choking on the last of her coffee and says, "Um, we could- if you wanted to? I- we could do that."

"Good. 'Cause I definitely want to, and I'm gonna hold you to that," Dinah says with a teasing smile.

They fall into a comfortable silence for a few moments, until Helena glances at her watch.

"I really do need to get going," Helena says, but the way it comes out, soft and almost _longing_ , makes Dinah think she doesn't really want to.

"Yeah, I should probably head to the library, too. I never get anything done here."

"Thanks for inviting me over last night," Helena tells her, and the way she bites at the corner of her mouth has Dinah biting at her own lip to stop herself from leaning forward to kiss her.

Instead, Dinah unfolds her legs and stands into a full-body stretch, not missing the way Helena's teeth dig a little further into her lip when her shirt rides up. "We should do it again sometime."

"Yeah."

For no real reason, Dinah walks her to the door, leaning against the frame of the hallway and watches as Helena puts on her boots, tucking the ankles of her jeans in before tying them, then slides her jacket on, adjusting the zippers and snaps so everything fits snug.

The urge to kiss her comes back - or, more accurately, never actually went away, just intensified - but she settles for tugging at one of the zippers dangling from Helena’s jacket and says, "Hey."

"Yeah?" Helena asks, looking up from her helmet.

"Text me later?" Dinah asks, voice shyer than she means it to be, but then Helena smiles at her, full and radiant like Dinah's just offered her the world, and nods her head.

"Okay."

* * *

_Blueprints finished!_

_what are you building?_

_It's a portable battery pack for cell phones, but it uses kinetic energy to  
power the battery so you don't need a power source to charge it._

_wow. you are SUCH a nerd!_ 😉

_does that mean you're done for the night?_

_Yeah._

_come have a drink with me?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to post, but this is literally 2500 words of pure softness so hopefully that makes up for the wait.

_i am never going to the gym with you again._

_Why not?_

_i still can't feel my legs!_

_it's been like... 30 hours._

_It gets better if you keep going._

_no thanks. i'll stick to getting my workout running  
_ _across campus because i'm late for class._

* * *

Dinah grimaces when she sits down at the desk, her thighs burning as she does so.

"You okay there, little bird?" Harley asks, sliding over from several seats down. "Ya look like you're hurtin'."

"Little bird?" Dinah asks, but it's Harley, so she just smiles and Dinah doesn't bother questioning it further. She doesn't respond to the actual question, just grunts and drops her head to the desk, willing herself to find the strength to deal with Harley.

"Is it the good, sexy kinda sore?" Harley asks in a horrible imitation of a stage-whisper.

Dinah jerks her head up, biting back a groan when her muscles scream in protest of the sudden movement.

"Harley, we are not having this conversation."

"Why not?" Harley asks, looking genuinely confused, until realization apparently dawns on her. She whispers, "Is it 'cause we're in class?"

"No, it's because _we_ are not having this conversation," Dinah tells her, reaching to grab her notebook from her bag.

Harley doesn't move, but she does drop the subject, so Dinah counts it as a win.

* * *

_i feel like i haven't seen you in forever._

_We were at the library together on Wednesday._

_studying in the same room doesn't count._

_i want to actually hang out with you_

_wait. are you saying you don't miss me?_ 😢

_What time is your shift over?_

_9_

_Come over after? I have something for you._

* * *

With her curiosity piqued by Helena's text, Dinah's shift feels like it lasts twice as long as usual. She stays on task, but finds herself staring at the clock more often than she ever has, itching for 9 o'clock to roll around.

"Hot date?" her coworker, Gabe, teases as they watch her rush through her closeout.

"I wish," she tells them and then sighs. "Maybe one day."

Gabe laughs, walking away to help the customers waiting at the other end of the bar, and Dinah mutters _shut up_ at their retreating form, hip checking the register drawer closed a little harder than she intends to.

"Hey, Dinah," Gabe calls after she's made her way to the door. She turns to look at them, an eyebrow arched in question. "For the record, she's definitely into you."

Dinah doesn't respond, just smiles, and pushes her way outside, slipping her phone from her pocket to let Helena know she's headed over.

"Hey."

Dinah looks up from her phone to see Helena leaned up against her bike, waiting on her. She has on her riding jacket half unzipped, dark jeans with her legs crossed at the ankle, with her hair in messy waves that Dinah wants to bury her fingers in. The sudden rush of attraction at the sight of her nearly makes Dinah dizzy.

"Okay, wow..." Dinah breathes out, giving Helena a once over. She hears Gabe's words in her head - _she's definitely into you_ \- and she desperately wants that to be true; part of her even thinks it might be. "I thought I was coming over?"

Helena shrugs and says, "I thought we could go for a ride. If you want, anyway?"

Dinah's eyes drift to the back seat of the bike, and she notices a leather jacket and an extra helmet sitting there. Dinah smiles so wide her cheeks hurt, dimples on full display.

"This for me?" she asks, stepping forward and brushing her fingers over the leather jacket.

"You should take this one, actually," Helena offers, starting to unzip her own jacket. "More protection."

Dinah touches Helena's hand gently, stopping her movement. "It's fine," she says, and then squeezes her hand. "I trust you to keep me safe."

"Okay."

Dinah slips the leather jacket on, and then grabs the helmet. "Help me?" she asks, slipping it on and raising the visor.

"Um, yeah," Helena says, stepping forward and reaching for the chin strap. Dinah watches her intently as she works, slipping it through the D rings and tightening it and fastening the loose end to the snap. "Are you comfortable? Too tight?"

"No, I think it's good."

"Okay. Let's test it," Helena says, reaching for one of Dinah's hands. She places it on the bottom of the helmet, just in front of her chin. "Push up as hard as you can."

Dinah does as instructed, the helmet barely moving.

Helena nods and says, "Good. Have you ever ridden before?"

"No," Dinah says, shaking her head. "I dated a guy who had a bike, but he never took me out on it."

Helena's expression immediately goes stoic, a reaction Dinah probably wouldn't have even noticed if she hadn't been watching her so closely, and she wonders instantly what's going through Helena’s mind. Just as quickly as it appears, it disappears, replaced with a focused look as she starts to explain the basics.

"Okay, so... you're going to rest your feet here," Helena tells her, flipping down one of the footpegs with the toe of her boot to illustrate her point. "Wrap your arms around my waist, and if you need something, you can let go and just tap me on my leg. One tap if you want me to slow down, two if you want me to stop, three for anything else, okay?"

"Easy enough," Dinah says with a nod, trying not to let herself get distracted by the thought of being wrapped around Helena.

"When we're riding, try to stay as close to me as possible, and mimic how I move, okay? If I lean, lean with me. It kind of works best if you don't think about it, just let your body naturally follow mine. We'll take it slow at first, so you can get used to it."

Dinah nods, smiling at how thorough she's being. "Where are we going?"

"There's something I want to show you," Helena says vaguely, before sliding a small backpack off her shoulders. "Can you carry this?"

"Sure."

Dinah takes the backpack and slips it over her own shoulders as she waits for Helena to adjust her own jacket and helmet. Helena moves to straddle the bike, then flips up her visor and turns to Dinah. "When you get on, put your hand on my shoulder to stabilize yourself, then step on the footpeg, and throw your leg over. And be careful of the exhaust when you're getting on or off."

Dinah nods, then puts her hand on Helena's shoulder and squeezes lightly, making sure the slight heel to her boot is hooked on the peg before throwing her leg over, careful not to accidentally bump Helena. Once she settles on the slightly uncomfortable seat, she leans forward, dropping her hand down from Helena's shoulder to wrap around her waist. She feels Helena tense under the contact, but when she moves to loosen her arms, Helena's hand on her forearm stops her.

"Make sure you're definitely holding on whenever we take off, okay?" Helena shouts, her voice muffled by their helmets.

"Yeah," Dinah calls back, settling closer against Helena's back as she starts the bike and checks for traffic before easing away from the curb.

They've barely been on the bike for five minutes, but as they weave through traffic - Dinah's body pressed against Helena's and her arms around her waist - Dinah is certain this is her new favorite pastime. Every inch of her skin feels warm, like an electric current buzzing pleasantly just below her skin. She takes time to revel in it, feeling just the slightest bit guilty at taking advantage of their positions.

She watches as the buildings and parks pass by, and wonder if Gotham actually looks different from this perspective, or if it is just her haze of infatuation with Helena speaking. She decides not to question it.

When she realizes they're making their way out of the city, Dinah's thoughts turn curious; she wonders exactly what Helena has to show her. When they make a stop at a red light, Helena flips her visor up and turns around, asks, "Everything okay?"

Dinah raises her own visor, smiling at Helena. "Yeah. Fingers are a little cold, but I'm good."

"Shit, sorry. I should have brought you an extra pair of gloves," Helena says, glancing back at the light to make sure it hasn't changed. "Um, if you're too cold, you can stick your hands in my pockets?"

Dinah grins wider and flips her visor back down, unzipping the pockets of Helena's jacket and sliding her hands inside before the light changes. As Helena starts to pull away, Dinah fists her fingers in the fabric of the pockets, flexing against Helena's abs, smiling to herself when she feels Helena suck in a shuddery breath.

* * *

They end up parking in a small turnout on the side of a quiet road at least half an hour outside of Gotham. Helena locks up their helmets on the bike and then takes the backpack from Dinah and says, "Come on," leading her toward a row of trees.

Helena pulls a small flashlight from the bag to illuminate a path through the trees, and Dinah reaches for her hand, wanting to make sure they stay close.

"Are you sure we're allowed to be here?" Dinah asks as they make their way through the trees. The area seems more like private property than a public park, but Dinah lets herself be led down the narrow path anyway, trusting Helena.

"We're good, I promise," Helena tells her as they reach a large clearing. She clicks the flashlight off and slides it back in the bag, pulling out a large blanket instead and spreading it out on the grass.

Dinah doesn't move, just watches Helena spread out the blanket with her thoughts tied up in how much this feels like a date, more so than anything they've done in the past several weeks. Gabe's words continue to echo in her head, even as she tries to tell herself not to read into it. It isn't until Helena is laid back on the blanket, looking up at her, that Dinah finally moves.

They lay next to each other on the blanket, shoulders brushing, in a comfortable silence as they look at the stars. The sky looks incredible - open and clear in a way it never looks in Gotham - and Dinah curls her fingers into a fist to keep from taking Helena's hand in her own. She has so many questions on the tip of her tongue, but she holds back, knowing Helena will open up in time.

"I started boarding school when I was 7, not far from here," Helena starts, her voice so quiet that Dinah has to strain to hear, despite the relative silence. "I was two years ahead in school, so I was younger than everyone, and it was the first time I'd been away from my family. I hated it at first, because everything was so different and I didn't know anyone at all, but I stuck it out and adjusted pretty quickly to it. But when I came back home the first time, I couldn't sleep because the city was so loud, so my dad drove me out here. We stopped at this diner on the way, and he bought us both hot chocolate, and we just sat out here in the quiet and looked at the stars until I fell asleep."

Helena turns and looks at Dinah then, her gaze soft, and Dinah feels the familiar warmth of attraction and affection humming in her veins. The urge to kiss her burns strong, but Dinah fumbles for her hand instead, interlocking their fingers and squeezing gently.

"I've always had trouble sleeping," Dinah tells her. "Even when I was a baby. But my mom would come into my room and sit in my bed with me and sing to me until I fell asleep. When she died, I thought I would never sleep again."

"Is it better now?"

"Most nights," Dinah admits, nodding. "I have one recording of her, so it helps. Sometimes I just listen to a playlist of songs she would sing when things get a little crazy."

"I come out here when things get stressful, or I just need to think."

"What are you thinking about now?" Dinah asks.

"You."

Dinah feels her heart stutter in her chest at the single word. "What about me?"

"Just..." Helena stumbles for a minute, like she wants to say something more. "You."

"I think about you, too," Dinah admits.

"You do?" Helena asks, and something in her voice makes Dinah think she's genuinely surprised - as if Dinah's daily texts about nothing and scheduling study sessions just to sit next to her in the library and not talk hadn't somehow made it clear.

"I do," she says. "A lot."

It's both more _and_ less than what she actually wants to say, her emotions tangled up in knots she can't let herself begin to unravel. Attraction she can handle. Playful affection? Fine. But the way her heart is pounding in her chest, the way she can't tear her eyes away from Helena's? It's scary in a way she's not ready to deal with. "I'm glad you knocked me over on the quad," she says, in an attempt to break the tension.

"Yeah," Helena says, smiling. "Me too."

* * *

Dinah is exhausted, having been up since 7 for class, but not quite ready to end the evening yet. As they get closer to the city, she wracks her brain for an excuse to spend even just a few extra minutes with Helena, but short of inviting herself up to Helena's, she's got nothing.

It's not until they stop at a red light not far from The Watchtower, and Dinah sees a neon sign up ahead that gives her an idea. She removes one of her hands from Helena's jacket and taps against her leg three times.

Helena instantly turns around, snapping her visor open, and asks, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Dinah tells her. "I just thought we could stop at Monaghan's."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

The light changes, and Helena waits for Dinah to wrap her arms around her waist again before she takes off.

"What made you want to stop here?" Helena asks, once they've parked outside the diner and they've taken off their helmets. "Hungry?"

"A little, but I was really thinking about hot chocolate."

* * *

"Wait," Dinah says, pulling out her phone as Helena reaches for her drink to slide it toward herself.

She takes a moment to frame the shot just so - her rings glinting in the yellow light of the diner, and Helena's hand wrapped around her own mug - and spends too much time finding the perfect filter and caption before turning it to Helena for her approval.

_Tonight was a good night._

* * *

INSTAGRAM  
[dinahlance]: helenarosa started following you.


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